Pelicans-Raptors Trade Grades: Brandon Ingram Goes North

The Toronto Raptors are acquiring Brandon Ingram from the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for Bruce Brown Jr., Kelly Olynyk, the Indiana Pacers’ 2026 top-four protected first-round pick and a second-round pick to be detailed later. ESPN’s Shams Charania was first to report the trade, while Sportsnet’s Blake Murphy has clarified which first-round pick Toronto is sending.

Raptors ultimately betting that Ingram — with Bird rights and ability to re-sign him in summer, which they wouldn’t have had cap space to do — is worth a shift in “rebuilding,” exchanging pick equity for a player in his prime.

1st is Indy’s 2026 top-4 protected 1st. 2nd TBD. https://t.co/I6CGRI5MvX

— Blake Murphy (@BlakeMurphyODC) February 6, 2025

Raptors Seek Talent Injection

Although the Raptors wield an intriguing collection of talent — some established, some young — they don’t have much high-end talent around their franchise pillar, Scottie Barnes. Despite some uneven seasons, both because of his own injuries and fluctuating personnel around him, Ingram does elevate Toronto’s high-end talent.

He’s a former All-Star who can create for himself and others, and has worked to increase his 3-point volume (37.4 percent on a career-high 9.4 attempts per 100 possessions this year) to better fit alongside fellow initiators. His defense peaked in 2021-22 and hasn’t much recovered, though.

Still, he is a good player who will improve this Toronto squad. The primary issue, of course, is staying on the court. He’s currently sidelined with a sprained left ankle and has missed at least 18 games each of the past four seasons, including 33 this year. Ingram is far from the lone Pelican to sit out significant time over the last few years, so maybe a new medical team can help remedy some of his injury prone ways.

Grading The Deal

Toronto Raptors: C-

This move just seems quite strange for the Raptors. At 16-35, they’re engaged in the early stages of a rebuild. Their core group is comprised of Barnes (23), RJ Barrett (24), Immanuel Quickley (25), Gradey Dick (21) and Ochai Agbaji (24), as well as whoever they select in the lottery this summer.

Ingram is 27 (turns 28 in September) and will be a free agent after the season seeking a lucrative payday. Offloading Olynyk makes it easier for Toronto to retain Ingram, but if this front office wanted an establish star at the forward spot for its young group, why not just keep Pascal Siakam around instead by extending him last year? Although, the return it netted from dealing away Siakam isn’t too shabby either.

I’m just not sure Ingram is the caliber of player worth accelerating a rebuild with or risk enjoying for only half of a season before he bolts in free agency. But he is good (sometimes, very good) and can invigorate Toronto’s 24th-ranked offense, which could certainly use more on-ball scoring juice and playmaking chops.

So basically:

Raptors traded:
Pascal Siakam

Raptors got:
Brandon Ingram
Ochai Agbaji
Ja’Kobe Walter
half seasons of Kelly and Bruce

— Esfandiar Baraheni (@JustEsBaraheni) February 6, 2025

New Orleans Pelicans: B

Fair or not, it’s hard for me to separate the underwhelming results of Ingram and Zion Williamson’s six-year partnership from the return package here, but New Orleans made out mildly well. That first-round pick is very lightly protected, given the Pacers should be competitive in 2026, and will almost certainly convey.

A first-round pick for an oft-injured, expiring star who didn’t mesh all that cogently with the Pelicans’ pillars (and roadblocked one of Trey Murphy III and Herbert Jones for greater playing time when healthy) is solid work. If they can reroute Brown before Thursday’s deadline for additional assets, the move emerges even more favorably. Maybe, there’s a suitor in the offseason for Olynyk as well, I just wouldn’t trade him right now because of their depleted center room. He’s also a useful player regardless.

New Orleans may be trudging through a nightmare season, but it handled this deal competently and decluttered some of the weirdness within its roster. Not bad.